Iraq's most influential Shiite leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, has undergone heart surgery at a British hospital and was currently in stable condition, his liaison office in London said Friday.

Sistani had an angioplasty procedure to unblock a coronary artery at a specialist heart hospital about 32 km northwest of London, the Imam Ali Foundation said in a statement.

"There were no adverse side effects during this operation and his health is currently stable," the statement said.

The 73-year-old Shiite leader, who lives in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf and has been receiving treatment from cardiologists, arrived here last Friday reportedly to be treated for a heart condition.

His aides have said they fear the violence in Najaf could hamper his access to proper medical care there.

Sistani is one of the only five living grand ayatohllahs among Iraq's Shiite Muslim majority and thus carries great political weight in Iraq.

He has pushed for a general election to be held at the earliest date possible and for a permanent constitution to be written by elected, not selected, delegates after the end of the US-led war with Iraq.

Source: Xinhua